Vending system

ABSTRACT

A vending system for products such as tobacco products. The vending system includes one or more hanging brackets and a plurality of modules that are selectively engageable on the hanging brackets. The hanging brackets are engaged on a store wall, particularly a slat wall, by inserting flanges into recesses between the slats. Each module includes a support bracket that is securable to the hanging brackets; a panel that is engaged with the support bracket; one or more sensors provided in or on the panel; pusher assemblies provided on the support bracket and extending across a portion of the panel and a door that extends across an opening to the module. When the door is closed none of the product inside the module is visible. A computer may be operatively engaged with the sensors and is provided with programming to track products stocked in the vending system and removed therefrom.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

This invention is generally directed to systems for vending products.More particularly, the invention relates to cigarette vending systems.Specifically, the invention is directed to a vending system comprising aplurality of modules positioned one above the other on hanging bracketssecured to a store wall. Each module includes a support bracket having apanel engaged therein; sensors provided in or on the panel and pusherassemblies provided on the support bracket for urging tobacco productson the panel towards a door. When closed, the door completely hides thetobacco products from the consumer.

Background Information

In Canada it is considered unlawful for a retailer to publically displaycigarettes or other tobacco products for sale or to place advertisingfor tobacco products in a place in a store where that advertising mightbe seen by the public. As a result, tobacco products are typicallylocated behind a sales desk in a store. It is needful that the retailerbe able to quickly and easily locate a tobacco product requested by acustomer in order to sell that product to the consumer.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to a vending system for tobaccoproducts, such as cigarettes. The vending system is designed to be ableto be placed behind a sales desk in a store and may be convenientlypositioned on a standard retail slat wall system without any fasteners.The vending system allows the retailer to have quick and easy access tothe product but at the same time does not allow any member of the publicto actually view what is being retained in the vending system.

The vending system includes one or more hanging brackets and a pluralityof modules that are selectively engageable on the hanging brackets. Thehanging brackets are engaged on a store wall, particularly a slat wall,by inserting flanges into recesses between the slats. Each moduleincludes a support bracket that is securable to the hanging brackets; apanel that is engaged with the support bracket; one or more sensorsprovided in or on the panel; pusher assemblies provided on the supportbracket and extending across a portion of the panel and a door thatextends across an opening to the module. When the door is closed none ofthe product inside the module is visible. A computer may be operativelyengaged with the sensors and is provided with programming to trackproducts stocked in the vending system and removed therefrom.

In one aspect, the present disclosure may provide a vending system forproducts comprising a support bracket adapted to be engaged with asupport surface a panel engageable with the support bracket, said panelhaving an upper surface adapted to receive one or more products thereon;and one or more sensors provided in or on the panel.

In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide, in combination, apair of hanger brackets adapted to be secured to a slatted wall; aplurality of modules engageable with the hanger brackets and adapted toretain a plurality of products therein, wherein each module comprises asupport bracket defining an aperture therein; said support bracket beingconfigured to be engaged on the pair of hanger brackets; a panelinsertable into the aperture of the support bracket, said panel havingan upper surface adapted to receive some of the plurality of productsthereon; one or more pusher assemblies provided on an interior surfaceof the support bracket; each pusher assembly extending for a distanceacross the panel; and a door; wherein the plurality of modules areengaged at spaced intervals one above the other on the pair of hangerbrackets.

The combination may further provide that the door of each module isengaged with the support bracket of the module above it; wherein thedoor of each module is pivotable between an open position and a closedposition and when the door is in the closed position, none of theproduct retained in the module is visible from in front of the closeddoor.

The combination may further comprise one or more sensors provided in oron the panel; a remote computer operatively engaged with the one or moresensors; and programming provided in the computer to monitor an amountand brand of the plurality of products retained on the upper surface ofthe panel of each of the plurality of modules: and an amount and brandof the plurality of products removed from the upper surface of the panelof each of the plurality of modules. The plurality of products may bepackages of tobacco products such as boxes of cigarettes.

In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a method ofvending tobacco products comprising engaging a support bracket on asupport surface; placing a panel into the support bracket to form apanel floor; arranging a plurality of tobacco products on an uppersurface of the panel floor; contacting a rearmost one of the pluralityof tobacco products on the panel with a pusher assembly; urging thetobacco products towards a forwardmost end of the panel floor using thepusher assembly; hiding all of the tobacco products behind a doorpositioned in front of a front wall of the support bracket so that noneof the tobacco products are visible when the door is in a closedposition. The method may further comprise opening the door; and removingone of the tobacco products when the door is opened.

The method as defined may further comprise sensing, with a sensorprovided in or on the panel, that a forwardmost tobacco product has beenremoved from off the panel floor. The method may further compriseoperatively engaging the sensor with a remote computer; sending a signalfrom the sensor to the remote computer; providing programming in thecomputer that tracks the tobacco products loaded into the panel andremoved from the panel; and tracking with the computer, based on thesignals from the sensor, a number of tobacco products that remain on thepanel and a number of tobacco products that have been removed from thepanel; compiling tracked information into a database in the computer;and analyzing the compiled information in the database with theprogramming provided in the computer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Sample embodiment of the disclosure are set forth in the followingdescription, is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctlypointed out and set forth in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vending system in accordance with anaspect of the present invention, with the vending system shown mountedon a slatted wall;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vending system of FIG. 1 with a topwall and a side wall of the vending system removed and showing aplurality of products, specifically boxes of cigarettes, retained withinthe vending system;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the highlighted region of FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of part of the vending system ofFIG. 2 with the product removed therefrom and showing various componentsof the vending system engaged with the slatted wall;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of an upper portion of a hangerbracket of the vending system shown on its own;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a door of the vending system shown on itsown;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the components shown in FIG. 4 assembledto form a top section of the vending system;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the highlighted region of FIG.7;

FIG. 9 is a right side view of the vending system of FIG. 2 with all theproduct removed therefrom;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged right side view of the highlighted region of FIG.9; and

FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the highlighted region ofFIG. 2 that shows that some boxes of product have been removed from afirst row of the uppermost module of the vending system.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-11 there is shown a retail vending system generallyindicated at 10. Vending system 10 is shown mounted to a wall 12 in sucha way that a plurality of boxes of product 14 (such as boxes ofcigarettes or other tobacco products) retained in vending system 10 isnot visible to a consumer who may be standing facing wall 12. Inparticular, wall 12 has a front surface 12 a that will face the consumerand vending system 10 is mounted on front surface 12 a in such a waythat vending system 10 obscures product 14 from the view anyone facingfront surface 12 a of wall 12.

Vending system 10 may comprise a modular unit made of a plurality ofsimilar modules that may be positioned one above the other. Each modulemay be configured to hold one or more rows of product 14. It will beunderstood that vending system 10 may comprise only a single module orsystem 10 may comprise multiple modules 10. Each module may beconfigured to hold a single row of product 14 or multiple rows ofproduct 14. FIG. 1 shows vending system 10 configured to have sevenmodules located vertically one above each other. FIG. 2 shows that theuppermost module is configured to hold fifteen rows of product; and thateach row may hold around nine products 14. It will be understood thatthe term “product” may represent a single box that itself is configuredto hold multiple smaller products. For instance, the term “product” mayrepresent a single box that holds multiple individual cigarettes. Theterm “product” 14 may also be used in this description to generallydescribe one or more articles offered for sale that are retained anddispensed from vending system 10.

FIG. 1 shows wall 12 having a front face 12 a comprised of slats 12 bthat are positioned one-above-the-other. The slats 12 b may be formedonly in the front face 12 a of wall 12 and slots 12 c may be definedbetween adjacent slats 12 b. In other instances, slats 12 b may beindividual sections of wall 12 that are positioned one above the otherand are separated by slots 12 c.

FIG. 1 shows vending system 10 mounted on front face 12 a of wall 12.Vending system 10 may include a cabinet box that may be generallyrectangular in shape and includes a top wall 10 a and a pair of opposingside walls 10 b (only one of which is shown in FIG. 1) that extenddownwardly from opposite ends of top wall 10 a. The cabinet box mayfurther comprise a bottom wall that is opposed to top wall 10 a. One ormore of top wall 10 a, side walls 10 b and the bottom wall may beomitted from vending system 10 or the cabinet box may be replaced bythin frame members that will support or connect together the othercomponents of vending system 10.

FIGS. 2-3 show vending machine 10 with top wall 10 a and side wall 10 ofthe cabinet box shown in phantom for the sake of clarity. FIG. 4 showsthe cabinet box in phantom with other components of vending system 10exploded away from each other so that they may be better seen. As shownin FIG. 4, vending system 10 may comprise one or more hanger brackets 16that are secured to front surface 12 a of wall 12, one or more supportbrackets 20; one or more panels 22, one or more pusher assemblies 24;and one or more doors 26.

Each module in vending system 10 may be comprised of a single supportbracket 20, a single support panel 22, a plurality of pusher assemblies24 and one or more doors 26. FIG. 4 shows an exemplary single module ofvending system 10. The module comprises a single support bracket 20, asingle plate 22, a plurality of pusher assemblies 24 and two doors 26(although a single door or more than two doors could be utilized). Itwill be understood that the number of pusher assemblies 24 utilized inthe module may be selected based on the number of products 14 to beretained on plate 22 of vending system 10. Fifteen pusher assemblies 24are shown in FIG. 4 but it will be understood that fewer than or morethan fifteen pusher assemblies 24 may be utilized in each module.Support bracket 20 is illustrated as being engaged between two spacedapart hanger brackets 16 for stability. It will be understood that onlya single hanger bracket 16 may be utilized or more than two hangerbrackets 16 may be utilized to engage and secure support bracket 20 towall 12.

FIG. 5 shows a single hanger bracket 16 on its own. Hanger bracket 16may comprise a pair of base rails 16 a that are laterally spaced apart.Each rail 16 a may have a flange 16 b at a top end and a bottom endthereof. Hanger bracket 16 may further include a plurality of arms 16 cthat extend outwardly and forwardly from the two laterally spaced-apartrails 16 a. It will be understood that rails 16 a, flanges 16 b and arms16 c may be molded or otherwise formed as a unitary, monolithiccomponent or may be assembled together such as by welding. Arms 16 c maybe generally L-shaped when viewed from the side (such as in FIG. 10) andmay be generally U-shaped when viewed from above (such as in FIG. 8).Arms 16 c may be vertically spaced apart from each other. GenerallyL-shaped recesses 16 d may be defined between adjacent arms 16 c. Eachrecess 16 d may include a thinner, downwardly extending section 16 d′(FIG. 10) that will be generally vertically oriented when hanger bracket16 is secured to wall 12 as illustrated in FIG. 10. Hanger bracket 16 isengaged with wall 12 by inserting flanges 16 b into slots 12 c (FIG.10)0 defined by wall 12. The rails 16 a of hanger bracket 16 restagainst the front face 12 a of wall 12. When hanger bracket 16 isengaged with wall 12 in this manner, no fasteners are required to securehanger bracket 16 to wall 12. Because fasteners do not need to be usedto secure hanger bracket 16 in place, hanger brackets 16 may be quicklyand easily installed on wall 12, moved along wall 12, or removedtherefrom. Flanges provided at a bottom end of hanger bracket 16 may bereceived into slots 12 c on wall 12 in a similar fashion. Because hangerbrackets 16 each include a plurality of arms 16 c that are verticallyspaced from each other, it is possible for the retailer to customize thevending system 10 by determining the vertical distance between adjacentsupport brackets 20.

It will be understood that in other instances hanger bracket 16 may besecured to walls that lack slots for receiving flanges 16 b. In theseinstances, a hole may be drilled through each flange 16 b and a fastenermay be inserted through each hole and subsequently into the non-slattedwall.

Referring to FIG. 4, each support bracket 20 may be generallyrectangular in shape when viewed from above and may comprise a frontwall 20 a, a rear wall 20 b, a left side wall 20 c and a right side wall20 d. Front wall 20 a may be of a shorter height than rear wall 20 b.Front wall, rear wall, left and right side walls 20 a-20 d may bound anddefine an aperture 20 e in support bracket 20. A lip 20 f may beprovided on an interior surface of each of the front wall 20 a, rearwall 20 b, left side wall 20 c and right side wall. Lip 20 f may jutoutwardly for a distance into aperture 20 e and may provide a place forpanel 22 to be seated upon when panel 22 is engaged with support bracket20. Lip 20 f may be substantially continuous and unbroken around theinterior surfaces of the front, rear, left side and right side walls 20a-20 d or may comprises a series of smaller, spaced-apart sections thatare provided on some or all of the walls 20 a-20 d.

Left side wall 20 c and right side wall 20 d of support bracket 20 maybe of a generally truncated-triangular shape when viewed from the sideas in FIG. 2, for example. Each of the side walls 20 c, 20 d may be of agreater height (measured between a top edge and a bottom edge thereof)proximate rear wall 20 b and be of a lesser height proximate front wall20 a. This generally triangular shape may strengthen the module as theleft and right side walls 20 c, 20 d acts as bracing sections.

In some embodiments, and as shown in FIG. 8, each of the left and rightside walls 20 c, 20 d may be fabricated from a smaller front section 21a and a larger rear section 21 b that are configured to telescoperelative to each other. This arrangement permits the distance betweenfront wall 20 a and rear wall 20 b to be selectively adjusted by theretailer. The rear sections 21 b of each of the left and right sidewalls 20 c, 20 d may define a horizontal slot 20 j therein thatoriginates and terminates a distance away from each of the front end andthe rear end of rear section 21 b. One or more stops 20 k may extendoutwardly from front section 21 and project through slot 20 j. The oneor more stops 20 k may be provided to ensure smooth travel between frontsection 21 a and rear section 21 b. Stops 20 k also may limit the extentof telescoping travel that may be possible between the front and rearsections 21 a, 21 b. One or more stops may also be provided on rearsection 21 b to limit travel of front section 21 a relative thereto (Itshould be note that front and rear walls 20 a, 20 b may also besimilarly fabricated to telescope to some extent.) In other embodiments,the front wall 20 a, rear wall 20 b, lefts side wall 20 c and right sidewall 20 c may be of fixed length.

As best seen in FIG. 8, rear wall 20 b may be of the same height as therearmost ends of left side wall 20 c and right side wall 20 d. AnL-shaped hook 20 g may extend rearwardly from a top edge of rear wall 20b. Hook 20 g may be integrally formed with rear wall 20 b so that rearwall 20 b and hook 20 g form a single unitary or monolithic member orhook 20 g may be secured to rear wall 20 b such as by welding. Hook 20 gmay include a generally horizontal section that is oriented at rightangles to the interior surface of rear wall 20 b that defines lip 20 f.Hook 20 g may also include a generally vertical section, numbered 20 g′(FIG. 10), that extends downwardly from the generally horizontal sectionof hook 20 g. The generally vertical section 20 g′ may be spaced adistance rearwardly from an exterior surface of rear wall 20 g and besubstantially parallel thereto. Hook 20 g and vertical section 20 g′thereof may be sized to be received into recess 16 d of hanger bracket16 and particularly vertical section 20 g′ may be sized to be receivedand engaged in thinner section 16 d′ of recess 16 d. When hook 20 g isengaged in recess 16 d of hanger bracket 16 and particularly whenvertical section 20 g′ is received in thinner section 16 d′ of recess 16d, support bracket 20 is suspended from hanger bracket 16 as shown inFIG. 10. The exterior surface of rear wall 20 g of support bracket 20may rest against the front surface 16 c′ (FIG. 8) of one or more arms 16c on hanger bracket 16. In this way, support bracket 20 is firmlyengaged with hanger bracket 16. It should be noted that no fasteners arerequired to secure support bracket 20 to hanger brackets 16. It istherefore relatively quick and easy for a retailer to engage supportbracket 20 with hanger bracket 16, to change the vertical position orspacing of support bracket(s) 20 on hanger brackets 20 or to disassemblethe vending system 10.

As shown in FIG. 3, one or more slots 20 h may be defined in rear wall20 b of support bracket 20. Slots 20 h may be located vertically abovelip 20 f. The purpose of slots 20 h will be later described herein.

Panel 22 is configured to be engaged with support bracket 20. Panel 22may be generally rectangular in shape when viewed from above (FIG. 3)and may have an upper surface 22 a, a lower surface 22 b, a front edge22 c, a rear edge 22 d, a left side edge 22 e and a right side edge 22f. Panel 22 may be sized so that it will be able to be received inaperture 20 f of support bracket 20 and come to rest upon lip 20 f whenso received. Panel 22 may comprise plastic layer that may be insertedinto aperture 20 f. Alternatively panel 22 may be fabricated from metal.Still further, panel 22 may be comprised of a metal frame shelf plus aplastic panel member. The plastic panel member may be connected to themetal frame shelf or may be placed on top of the metal frame shelf.

One or more sensors 28 may be provided in or on panel 22, particularlyif the panel 22 is comprised of or includes a plastic layer. Sensors 28may be utilized to detect product 14 that rests on panel 22 and/or isremoved from panel 22. During fabrication of panel 22, sensors 28 may beenveloped by plastic material so that they are protected from potentialdamage. The metal may block the ability of the sensors 28 to senseproduct 14 located on the panel beneath the one from which product 14 isremoved. The sensors 28 may therefore only sense the removal of product14 from on top of specific panel 22 and may therefore not provide falsereadings. If desired, the system can be set up so that each sensor 28may be able to monitor product 14 that is located above or below thepanel 22 in which sensor 28 is located.

In some embodiments, the sensors 28 may be provided in a plastic layerthat rests on top of a metal frame shelf. The shelf frame may be open atthe bottom to permit radio frequency (RF) waves and waves of any kind topass through the shelf insert and facilitate detection of items or itemtags placed on the shelf, or placed on the items, or for sensing baresections of the shelf. Shelf inserts may be constructed of any materialsuitable for any type of sensing, including metal for holding items whenno item detection is required. An alternate embodiment includes a onepiece shelf frame that is open on the bottom with a fixed depth.

The one or more sensors 28 may be operatively engaged by appropriatecircuitry with a cable 30 that extends outwardly from panel 22 and isoperatively engaged with a remote computer 32. FIG. 4 shows cable 30extending outwardly from right side edge 22 f of panel 22. It will beunderstood that cable 30 may extend, alternatively, outwardly from anyof the other edges or the top or lower surface of panel 22. Cable 30 maybe threaded through one of the slots 20 h in support bracket 20 and bepositioned adjacent one of the hanging brackets 16 of vending system 10(as shown in FIG. 7). Alternatively, cable 30 may be inserted through ahole defined between front face 12 a and a rear face 12 d (FIG. 7) ofwall 12. In either event, cable 30 is preferably not visible to theconsumer. Since door 26 may be periodically opened to allow a salesclerk to access product 14, the interior of vending system 10 ispreferably kept looking neat, orderly and clean. Running cable 30 fromplate 22 through slot 20 h and alongside one of hanging brackets 20keeps the cable 30 out of site and makes the system 10 look moreaesthetically pleasing. In other embodiments, cable 30 may be completelyomitted and sensors 28 may, instead, communicate wirelessly withcomputer 32.

Computer 32 may be provided with programming to monitor the number ofboxes of product 14 resting on upper surface 22 a of panel 22. Sensors28 may be positioned to align with one of the one or more of the pusherassemblies 24 and may therefore be used to monitor boxes of product 14that are contacted by a particular pusher assembly 24. One sensor 28 ormore than one sensors 28 may be provided in a region of panel 28 that isaligned with each pusher assembly. Sensors 28 may be provided forsubstantially the entire depth of panel 22 from proximate front wall 20a of support bracket 20 to proximate rear wall 20 b of support bracket20 or may be located anywhere else in panel 22 that enables adequatemonitoring of product 14. When a single box of product 14 is removedfrom its position resting on upper surface 22 a of panel 22, a signalmay be sent from the appropriate activated one of the one or moresensors 28, via cable 30 to the remote computer 32. The programming incomputer 32 will utilize the received signal to compute and tally theamount of product 14 left in vending system 10 and/or the amount ofproduct 14 that should be recorded as sold because it has been removedfrom vending system 10. The computer 32 may therefore track and controlsales of product 14 in real time and may also be programmed toautomatically re-order product 14 from a vendor based on the monitoredsales. If different brands of product 14 are stocked in different areasof vending system 10, the relative sales of the different brands mayalso be recorded and tracked by the programming provided in computer 32.A database may be compiled and stored in computer 32 and the programmingmay also permit various types of analysis of the data in the database tobe undertaken and appropriate reports to be generated. The databasestored in computer 32 may be accessed by selectively connecting othercomputing devices (such as a tablet or smartphone) to computer 32.

FIG. 8 shows the pusher assemblies 24 that may comprise part of eachmodule of vending system 10. Each pusher assembly 24 may comprise afirst plate 24 a, a second plate 24 b and a coil spring 24 c. First andsecond plates 24 a, 24 b may be of generally the same size and bepositioned generally parallel to each other. A first end of coil spring24 c may be fixedly secured to a rear surface of first plate 24 a and asecond end of coil spring 24 c may be fixedly secured to a front surfaceof second plate 24 b. A rear surface of second plate 24 b may be fixedlysecured to an interior surface of rear wall 20 b of support bracket 20by any suitable means, such as by an adhesive or by welding. Secondplate 24 b may be secured to rear wall 20 b in a location that willresult in second plate 24 b being located above an upper surface 22 a ofpanel 22 when panel 22 is engaged in support bracket 20. When products14 are placed on upper surface 22 a of panel 22, a front surface offirst plate 24 a will contact a rear wall of the rearmost product,indicated as 14 a in FIGS. 2 and 11. Spring 24 c will maintainforward-directed pressure on the rearmost product 14 a and thereby onthe entire row of product 14 that extends forwardly from a particularpusher assembly 24. In other words, each pusher assembly 24 may push asingle row of product 14 forwardly towards an inner surface of door 26in the direction indicated by arrow “A” (FIG. 8). Front wall 20 a ofsupport bracket 20 may act as a stop that substantially prevents thepusher assembly 24 from pushing product 14 completely out of vendingsystem 10. It will be understood that other types of pusher assemblythan pusher assembly 24 may be utilized in vending system 10.

Referring to FIGS. 4, 6 and 9, one or more doors 26 may be provided oneach module of vending system 10. Doors 26 may be fabricated from anon-transparent or opaque material so that a consumer cannot see throughthem when door 26 is in a closed position. Each of the one or more doors26 may be selectively moved between an open position and a closedposition.

Each door 26 may be generally rectangular in shape when viewed from thefront and may include a front surface 26 a, a rear surface 26 b (FIG.9), a top flange 26 c, a bottom flange 26 d, a left side edge 26 e and aright side edge 26 f. Top flange 26 e may be oriented at right angles tofront surface 26 a and may defined one or more apertures 26 g definedtherein. Apertures 26 g may be provided to receive fastenerstherethrough, such as fasteners 10 c shown in FIG. 1. Bottom flange 26 dmay be generally U-shaped when viewed from one side, such as in FIG. 6.One leg of the U-shaped flange 26 d may be utilized by a retailer tograsp onto door 26 when it is needful to move door 26 to the openposition. A bracket 26 h may extend outwardly from door 26 proximateeach of the left and right side edges 26 e, 26 f. Each bracket 26 h maydefine a hole 26 i therein. A shaft of a pivot pin 34 may be insertedthrough the hole 26 i of each bracket 26 h to secure door 26 to thesupport bracket 20 of a module located above each door 26. Pivot pin 34may comprise a pin that extends outwardly from the front wall 20 a orleft or right side walls 20 c, 20 d of support bracket 20.Alternatively, the pivot pin 34 may be inserted through an aperture inone of side walls 10 b of the vending system's cabinet box or may extenddownwardly from the top wall 10 a of the vending system's cabinet box.

Where two doors 26 are provided side-by-side on one module of vendingsystem 10 (such as is illustrated in FIG. 6), a fastener (not shown) maybe passed through the aligned holes 26 i of the brackets 26 h on theside edges 26 f, 26 e of the doors that are disposed adjacent eachother. This ensures that the doors are connected together but are stillable to pivot individually between open and closed positions.

It will be understood that other mechanisms for ensuring doors 26 maypivot relative to support bracket 20 may be employed. For example,flange 26 c may be fixedly secured to front wall 20 a of the supportbracket 20 of the module above door 26 and door 26 may be pivotallyengaged with flange 26 c.

Pivot pins 34 may permit door 26 to pivot about a horizontally-orientedaxis between the open position and the closed position. (Thehorizontally-oriented axis may extend along the shafts of the pivot pins34.)

It should be noted that when vending system 10 is used to hold aplurality of tobacco products 14, the front surface 26 a of door 26 isintended to be free of any indicia or advertising that might indicatethat type of product 14 that is retained within vending system 10. Itwill be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that if it ispermitted in any jurisdiction to advertise the products 14 retainedwithin vending system 10 then advertising markings or other indicia maybe provided on front surface 26 a or any other part of vending system 10that will be visible to the consumer.

It should be noted that the uppermost door 26 may be pivotally engagedwith a portion of top wall 10 a or with side walls 10 b of the cabinetbox of vending system 10). This may be because there is no supportbracket 20 proximate the top end of the uppermost door 26. Top wall 10 aof cabinet box may, alternatively be connected to flange 26 c of door 26by fasteners 10 c (FIG. 1) and pivot rods 34 may be pivotally connectedto flange 26 c or top wall 10 a or side walls 10 b.

Each door 26 may be selectively rotated to the open position by aretailer grasping the bottom flange 26 d or one of the side edges 26 e,26 f of plate 26 and rotating door 26 in the direction of arrow “B”(FIG. 7). When door 26 is moved to the open position, the retailer maybe permitted access to an interior of an associated module of thevending system 10. The retailer may then be able to remove a forwardmostpackage of product, such as the forwardmost box of product shown in FIG.3 by the reference number 14 b. As indicated earlier, when theforwardmost box 14 b is lifted off upper surface 22 a of panel 22, asignal is transmitted from one of the sensors that detects that part ofpanel 22 to the remote computer 32. Moving door 26 back to a closedposition may simply involve the retailer letting go of door 26 as thedoor 26 will then return to its original position under force ofgravity.

It will be understood that instead of pivoting door 26 about ahorizontal axis provided by pivot pins 34 that are engaged with the topflange 26 c of door 26; door 26 may, instead, be configured to slidelaterally between open and closed positions or door 26 may be providedwith pivot pins along one side edge 26 e, 26 f and may then pivot abouta generally vertically-oriented axis. Similarly, pivot pins may beprovided on bottom flange 26 d of door 26 and door may then pivot abouta horizontally-oriented axis. In this latter instance or when pivot pinsare provided on side edges 26 e, 26 f, or if door 26 is configured toslide, a spring assembly may be provided on door 26 to ensure door willautomatically return to the closed position.

A method of vending products 14 such as boxes or packages of tobaccoproducts from a vending system 10 may comprise engaging a supportbracket 20 on a support surface; placing a panel 22 into support bracket20 to form a panel floor; arranging a plurality of tobacco products 14on an upper surface 22 a of the panel floor; contacting a rearmost oneof the plurality of tobacco products 14 a on the panel floor with apusher assembly 24; urging the tobacco products 14 towards a forwardmostend of the panel floor 22 a using pusher assembly 24; hiding all of thetobacco products 14 behind a door 26 positioned in front of a front wall20 a of the support bracket 20 so that none of the tobacco products 14are visible when door 26 is in a closed position.

The method may further comprise opening door 26; and removing one oftobacco products 14 when door 26 is opened. The method may furthercomprise providing a slat wall 12 in a store as the support surface;engaging a hanger bracket 16 on slat wall 12; and engaging supportbracket 20 on hanger bracket 16. The method may further comprisesensing, with a sensor 28 provided in panel 22, that a forwardmosttobacco product 14 b has been removed from off the panel floor 22 a.

The method may further comprise operatively engaging sensor 28 with aremote computer 32; sending a signal from sensor 28 to remote computer32; providing programming in computer 32 that tracks the tobaccoproducts 14 loaded into the vending system 10 and removed from thevending system 10; and tracking with computer 32, based on the signalsfrom sensor 28, a number of tobacco products 14 that remain on panel 22and a number of tobacco products 14 that have been removed from panel22; compiling tracked information into a database in computer 32; andanalyzing the compiled information in the database with the programmingprovided in computer 32.

A step of engaging hanging bracket 16 on wall 12 may be accomplishedwithout using fasteners. Instead, the step of engaging hanging bracket16 on wall 12 may comprise inserting a flange 16 b extending outwardlyfrom hanging bracket 16 into a space 12 c defined between two slats 12 bon wall 12.

A step of engaging support bracket 20 on hanging bracket 16 may compriseinserting a hook 20 g extending outwardly from a rear wall 20 b ofsupport bracket 20 into a recess 16 dd′ defined in hanging bracket 16.

The method may further comprise positioning a second support bracket 20a distance above support bracket 20; engaging the second support bracket20 on hanging bracket 16 a distance above support bracket 20; placing asecond panel 22 into second support bracket 20 to form a second panelfloor 22 a; arranging a second plurality products 14 in rows on top ofthe second panel floor 22 a; engaging a rearmost one 14 b of the secondplurality of products 14 in each row on second panel 22 with a secondfront plate 24 a of a second pusher assembly 24; urging each rowproducts 14 on second panel 22 toward a second door 26 adjacent front 20a of second support bracket 20 with an associated one of the secondpusher assemblies 24; covering all of the products 14 on the secondpanel 22 with second door s26 o that the products 14 are not visible toa consumer standing in front of vending system 10

The step of covering all of product 14 on panel 20 with door 26 maycomprise engaging door 26 with second support bracket 20 that is locateda distance above support bracket 20; positioning a top flange 26 c ofdoor 26 a distance adjacent a bottom end of front wall 20 a of secondsupport bracket 20; positioning a bottom flange 26 d of door 26 adjacenta bottom end of the front wall 20 a of support bracket 20; positioning aleft side edge 26 e of door 26 adjacent a left side wall 20 c of supportbracket 20; and positioning a right side edge 26 f of door 26 adjacent aright side wall 20 d of support bracket 20.

While vending system 10 has been disclosed as being suitable forretaining products 14 that are tobacco products such as cigarettes, itwill be understood that any retail product may be retained and dispensedfrom vending system 10.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because suchterms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadlyconstrued.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the preferred embodimentof the disclosure are an example and the disclosure is not limited tothe exact details shown or described.

1. A vending system for products comprising: a support bracket adaptedto be engaged with a support surface; a panel engageable with thesupport bracket, said panel having an upper surface adapted to receiveone or more products thereon; and one or more sensors provided in or onthe panel.
 2. The vending system as defined in claim 1, wherein thepanel includes a metal frame shelf and a plastic panel member; andwherein the one or more sensors are provided in or on the plastic panelmember.
 3. The vending system as defined in claim 1, wherein the supportbracket includes a front wall and a portion of the front wall extendsabove the upper surface of the panel.
 4. The vending system as definedin claim 1, further comprising one or more pusher assemblies provided ona rear wall of the support bracket; said one or more pusher assembliesbeing adapted to urge the one or more products on the panel toward afront wall of the support bracket.
 5. The vending system as defined inclaim 4, wherein each of the one or more sensors is aligned with one ofthe one or more pusher assemblies.
 6. The vending system as defined inclaim 5, wherein one or more sensors comprises a plurality of sensorsand the one or more pusher assemblies comprises a plurality of pusherassemblies; wherein the plurality of pusher assemblies are spacedlaterally apart from each other along a rear wall of the supportbracket; and wherein one or more of the plurality of sensors is alignedwith each one of the plurality of pusher assemblies.
 7. The vendingsystem as defined in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors extendsfrom proximate a front edge of the panel to proximate a rear edge of thepanel.
 8. The vending system as defined in claim 1, further comprising acomputer operatively engaged with the one or more sensors and configuredto receive signals from the one or more sensors when the one or moresensors are activated; and wherein the computer is provided withprogramming designed to track a number of the one or more productsretained on the panel or the number of the one or more products removedon the panel or track one or more brands of the one or more productsthat are retained on the panel or removed from the panel.
 9. The vendingsystem as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a hanger bracketadapted to be engaged to the support surface; wherein the supportbracket is selectively engageable with the hanger bracket.
 10. Thevending system as defined in claim 9, wherein the hanger bracketincludes a base rail with a plurality of arms extending outwardly andforwardly therefrom at intervals from each other; and wherein adjacentarms of the plurality of arms define a recess therebetween.
 11. Thevending system as defined in claim 10, wherein the hanger bracket has atop end with a flange extending outwardly therefrom; and wherein theflange is adapted to be engaged with the support surface without a useof additional fasteners.
 12. The vending system as defined in claim 10,wherein the support bracket has a rear wall with a hook extendingoutwardly therefrom; and wherein the hook is selectively receivable inthe recess defined in the hanger bracket.
 13. The vending system asdefined in claim 12, wherein the support bracket engages the hangerbracket without a use of additional fasteners.
 14. The vending system asdefined in claim 1, further comprising: a door movable between an openposition and a closed position; wherein the door is positioned in frontof a front wall of the support bracket when in the closed position; andwherein the door is configured such that when in the closed position andviewed from in front of the vending system, the one or more products onthe panel is not visible above a top edge of the door, below a bottomedge of the door, to the right of a right side edge of the door and tothe left of a left side edge of the door.
 15. The vending system asdefined in claim 14, wherein the door pivots between the open positionand the closed position.
 16. The vending system as defined in claim 14,wherein the door is non-transparent or opaque and when the door is inthe closed position, the one or more products is not visible through thedoor.
 17. In combination: a pair of hanger brackets adapted to besecured to a slatted wall; a plurality of modules engageable with thehanger brackets and adapted to retain a plurality of products therein,wherein each module comprises: a support bracket defining an aperturetherein; said support bracket being configured to be engaged on the pairof hanger brackets; a panel insertable into the aperture of the supportbracket, said panel having an upper surface adapted to receive some ofthe plurality of products thereon; one or more pusher assembliesprovided on an interior surface of the support bracket; each pusherassembly extending for a distance across the panel; and a door; whereinthe plurality of modules are engaged at spaced intervals one above theother on the pair of hanger brackets.
 18. The combination as defined inclaim 17, wherein the panel comprises a metal frame shelf, a plasticpanel member; and one or more sensors; and wherein the one or moresensors are provided in or on the plastic panel member.
 19. Thecombination as defined in claim 17, wherein the door of each module isengaged with the support bracket of the module above it; wherein thedoor of each module is pivotable between an open position and a closedposition and when the door is in the closed position, none of theplurality of products retained in the module is visible from in front ofthe closed door.
 20. The combination as defined in claim 17, furthercomprising: one or more sensors provided in or on the panel; a remotecomputer operatively engaged with the one or more sensors; andprogramming provided in the computer to monitor: an amount and brand ofthe plurality of products retained on the upper surface of the panel ofeach of the plurality of modules: and an amount and brand of theplurality of products removed from the upper surface of the panel ofeach of the plurality of modules.
 21. The combination as defined inclaim 19; further comprising a plurality of products; wherein theplurality of products are packages of tobacco products.
 22. A method ofvending tobacco products comprising: engaging a support bracket on asupport surface; placing a panel into the support bracket to form apanel floor; arranging a plurality of tobacco products on an uppersurface of the panel floor; contacting a rearmost one of the pluralityof tobacco products on the panel with a pusher assembly; urging thetobacco products towards a forwardmost end of the panel floor using thepusher assembly hiding all of the tobacco products behind a doorpositioned in front of a front wall of the support bracket so that noneof the tobacco products are visible when the door is in a closedposition.
 23. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising:opening the door; and removing one of the tobacco products when the dooris opened.
 24. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising:providing a slat wall in a store as the support surface; engaging ahanger bracket on the slat wall; and engaging the support bracket on thehanger bracket.
 25. The method as defined in claim 24, furthercomprising: sensing, with a sensor provided in or on the panel, that aforwardmost tobacco product has been removed from off the panel floor.26. The method as defined in claim 25, further comprising: operativelyengaging the sensor with a remote computer; sending a signal from thesensor to the remote computer; providing programming in the computerthat tracks the tobacco products loaded onto the panel and the tobaccoproducts removed from the panel; and tracking with the computer, basedon the signals from the sensor a number of tobacco products that remainon the panel and a number of tobacco products that have been removedfrom the panel; compiling tracked information into a database in thecomputer; and analyzing the compiled information in the database withthe programming provided in the computer.